Category: 40 things

So I’m one week in to my 40 things and I have made a start on quite a few of my challenges.

This is pretty good for me as I have a tendency to get distracted and never get round to anything.

Those who know me, know that I am a bit of a procrastinator. Ok, I am a master procrastinator. I put everything off until the last minute – it’s even family tradition that I do all my present shopping on Christmas Eve with my Dad.

One of my challenges is to achieve Chartered status in the CII (the chartered insurance institute) which is about as good as I can get in my industry. I’ve been working on it for years; learn a huge topic, take an exam, rinse, repeat…

The problem is that I can never get started. I’d read the book the weekend before the exam, majorly panic about it, scrape through by the skin of my teeth, and swear blind I’ll be better prepared next time. And then not.

But I need to get it done by the end of the year and I’ve run out of exams so I need to do assignments, so what do I do? I have 9 months to complete the 3000 word essay. I start it the night before it’s due. Then I have a second topic, due 3 days later. Hadn’t even read the book. Cue me, mad panic, frantically learning about one of the trickiest subjects there is.

Anyway, I’ve managed it and submitted 2 assignments each of 3000 words, in a few days. Are they any good? I have no idea. But I swear I’m not going to leave my last 2 to the last minute.

Oh look, butterfly….

So today I am about to start my 40th year and like any milestone, it has become a time of reflection for me. The old saying about not waiting for life to pass you by springs to mind and so I have set myself a series of goals, all to be achieved in the next 12 months, by my 40th birthday.

Think of it like a bucket list: who knows what might happen in the future so I want be be able to look back and say “I did that!”

I will be charting my progress here as well as sharing my thoughts along the way.  Below are the 40 challenges I have set: some will be easy, some fun, and some no doubt will feel like a chore. Wish me luck as I aim to achieve all 40… before I turn 40 🙂

1. Keep a blog – Done! 
2. Walk 500 miles – Done!
3. Raise £500 for charity – Done! 
4. Take a selfie a day for a year – Done! 
5. Perform 40 favours for friends – Done!
6. Perform 40 random acts of kindness – Done!
7. Visit every venue at Ceroc Surrey – Done!
8. Achieve Chartered status from the CII – Done! 
9. Learn Calligraphy – Done!
10. Visit 2 non-Surrey Dance venues – Done! 
11. Go to the Lincoln Xmas Market – Done! 
12. Re-connect with 5 old friends that I’ve not seen in over 10 years – Done! 
13. Play Phil’s rules of D&D – Done!
14. Knit something (not a scarf!) – Done!
15. Join the WI – Done!
16. Arrange a Presidents of BDS reunion – Done!
17. Have a Karaoke night – Done!
18. Do an Escape Rooms event – Done!
19. Learn sign language – Done!
20. Learn to do 40’s hair – Done!
21. Take singing lessons – Done!
22. Do a photoshoot – Done!
23. Treat the house to an upgrade/revamp – Done!
24. Perfect a Hula Hoop trick – Done! 
25. Volunteer for the local community – Done!
26. Zip Wire at Snowdon – Done!
27. Learn dressmaking/alterations – Done!
28. Take a pilgrimmage to Austria to visit the home of the Chalet School books – Done!
29. See Bournemouth in the summer – Done!
30. Attend a festival, concert or gig – Done!
31. Sky Dive – Done!
32. Attend the Ballet – Done!
33. London Eye – Done!
34. Volunteer work with old people – Done!
35. Attend the Opera – Done!
36. Do a Flash Mob event – Done!
37. West Coast Swing or Lindyhop bootcamp – Done!
38. Meet Sir Patrick Stewart – Failed 😦
39. Fancy dress Party – Done! 
40. Visit Las Vegas! – Done! 

*Bonus* Do a Life Drawing Class – Done!